Mims Files for City Council

Mims Files for Iowa City Council

We knew this was on the way but former school board member Susan Mims has made it official and filed for Iowa City council. That brings the official at-large field to two for two seats, along with businessman Terry Dickens, with no more rumors in the air just three days before the filing deadline.

Over in District B (basically everything east of Governor), we may see a race with Mark McCallum announced and incumbent Connie Champion reportedly running. But neither has filed yet.

The Iowa City district system is convoluted; the whole city votes on the seat but the candidate has to live in the district. However, if there's a primary, only the district votes in the primary. Got it? It's also called a primary but it's not a party primary; still with me? I can think of a lot of other ways to do it: Partisan elections, a true district system... but for now this is what we've got.

It'll take one more District B contender (assuming McCallum and Champion both file) or three more at large to trigger an October 6 primary. If the field stays this small, it would be the first city election since 1991 with no primary.

So progressives, time to step up. I don't want to write myself in but given the city's current priorities I may have to.